So I went to our district (MSD Lawrence Township) equity cadre meeting (showed up super late after talking with a dear colleague and a family I adore) today after work. Near the end of the meeting, the associate principal of Lawrence North told us the story of this past weekends semistate girls basketball game that took place in Bedford at Bedford North Lawrence High School. I already knew that LN lost 62-54 because I read the story on Twitter Saturday night. But the story she told had nothing to do with basketball. LN took 7 buses of fans to Bedford, fans of all colors. LN knew ahead of time that the girls would need support because of their all-Black girls team going to Bedford (Yes, in 2014 Black people have to think about where they go in terms of their safety as it relates to their Blackness). Before the game during warmups, three students from Bedford North Lawrence step out onto the floor from the student section, on the end where LN is warming up, in gorilla suits. Gorilla. Suits. Other kids in the student section have on safari hats, animal ears and tails. Ive been called a monkey and a gorilla a few times in my life and I knew it was not meant to speak to my ability to climb trees or impressive animal strength (I dont climb trees that well and I dont possess brute, animal strength). I knew it was an attempt to liken my being to an animal in the African jungles, the same jungles that those people thought I belonged in. LN administrators go to Bedford administrators and ask them to tell the kids to take the gorilla suits off. Nobody from LN acts out; no fighting or anything. The administrators, teachers and families there help keep the students composed. The associate principal said she was upset and the students were in state of shock and confusion at such an ignorant display. As an educator, when your students are exposed to anything that is dangerous, your first thought is to make sure they will be safe. And thats what my colleagues did and the students handled it as well as they could. They cheered for the girls and traveled to the concession stands and restrooms in groups, which she said is not like them but after that, I get it. I did not see this in the story I read; I did see some high quality pictures of the game though and some interviews with LNs coach and the standard mention of Damon Bailey when referring to Bedford. My colleague told the story to a room full of educators who sat in silence and listened. I am proud of all the students there because at their age, somebody would have needed to take me to the bus to wait it out. The students that were there and composed themselves, cheered for their team and demonstrated their own awareness...I am proud of them. Those kinds of displays are what I hope for when I go to work. That someday, some student that I know, will take a stand and represent themselves as an aware, dignified and thoughtful member of society. I dont care about their test scores because life will provide plenty of tests that no amount of high-stakes testing will prepare us for. I am not surprised that I havent seen the story in Indianapolis media. I understand that some stories will not be told. I have friend at the Indy Star that I hope see this and run it past somebody who writes. You can call LN and ask them for the details. The story I would love to see is not focused on the ignorance but but the beauty of dignity and composure the students of Lawrence North High School demonstrated. Truly humbled by them and my colleagues and the families that were in attendance. And as I tend to say, we have more work to do indeed.
Posted on: Tue, 04 Mar 2014 23:53:49 +0000
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